TROY -- Buoyed by the response from local residents, organizations and businesses in support of their efforts, the Troy Flag Day Committee is tentatively making plans for this year's Flag Day Parade.

If fund-raising efforts are successful in the coming weeks, the 46th annual salute to our nation's flag will step off at 1 p.m. June 9 in South Troy and proceed north into downtown Troy.

A final decision on the fate of this year's parade will be made later this month.

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The continuing soft economy, the federal sequestration, a lack of state funding and the mounting cost of putting on a parade have hampered this year's efforts to put on a proper salute to the flag. This parade is expected to cost between $30,000 and $35,000 because of rising fuel costs for out-of-town bands

To aid the committee in their efforts, The Record is again launching its annual fund-raising campaign with the goal of raising $10,000 for the parade.

Record Editor Lisa Robert Lewis said this newspaper is proud to get behind the effort to preserve the Troy Flag Day Parade. "Year after year, the Flag Day Parade has been a major event in this city, an annual tradition that brings together families to pay tribute to our country's flag. We hope everyone will get behind the committee's efforts to put on this year's parade."

In addition to The Record's effort, other campaigns are under way to help finance the parade:

"Support Troy's Flag Day Parade" was launched last month and accepted donations at the recent "Troy Night Out" and the Farmer's Market in the Troy Atrium and on River Street on Saturday. Donations to this effort are also being accepted at Artcentric Gallery at 266 River St. in downtown Troy.

The Flag Day Committee launched its "Step Up With A Dollar" fund-raising campaign in March, which sought to solicit just $1 from each of the upwards of 50,000 who turn out each year for the parade. Donations may still be mailed to Troy Flag Day Committee, P.O. Box 56, Troy, NY 12180.

Flag Day Parade Committee Chairman Ed Manny said he and the rest of the committee remain cautiously optimistic that the parade will go on if people continue to get behind the various fund-raising efforts for the parade.

Among those who have already made donations in support of this year's parade are:

$1,000

Massry Charitable Foundation

Stewarts

$550

Troy Detachment Marine Corps League

$500

Paul Szemkow

$300

North Greenbush Memorial Post No. 1489 American Legion

$200

Veterans of Lansingburgh

Eddy Village Green Veterans

$125

Eric Clark (Betty Wells)

$100

Daniel O'Connell

Patrick Myers

Callanan Industries

Polish American Club

Carbone

$50

Michael A. Esposito in memory of Antoinette and Dorothy

$35

John Korkorion

$25

James Kelly

John Connery

$10

George Johnson

$5

Mike and Jan Martone

Donations to the Flag Day Fund Drive, sponsored by The Record, may be mailed to Flag Day Fund Drive, c/o The Record, 501 Broadway, Troy, NY 12180 or dropped off at the newspaper's downtown office at the corner of Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Contributions may also be mailed to Troy Flag Day Committee, P.O. Box 56, Troy, NY 12180. Please make checks payable to the Troy Flag Day Committee. All donations will be listed in upcoming editions of The Record.